Updated

Call it panda politics.

China is sending a pair of giant pandas to the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland as the Asian nation's deputy leader visits the U.K. to boost relations.

Vice Premier Li Keqiang, in London for trade talks with senior British officials, led the signing of the agreement Monday to send the animals to Edinburgh.

A zoo spokeswoman says the male and female pandas are about seven years old. They will be on a 10-year loan to the zoo and are expected to arrive in the next year from China's Wulong Panda Research Institute.

Li, who is widely expected to succeed Wen Jiabao as China's next premier, is on a four-day visit to Britain to cement trade deals after trips to both Spain and Germany.